Wine, A Fountain, and A Wish
by Jan2StaMuse
Summary: Ever stop to wonder what Daphne and Niles talked about after the camera faded out in "Mixed Doubles" and what they did afterwards?


A/N: Nothing like filling in the gaps of a scene we never got to see.

She placed her hand over his. "Oh, I love you, Dr. Crane." 

"I love you too, Daphne." 

She looked straight ahead, staring blankly at the bottles of liquor on display that the bartender masterfully grabbed as he prepared a drink for the couple seated a few barstools away. 

How happy they looked. It reminded her of Rodney and how a few days ago they'd been in the exact same situation: two strangers sharing a drink and a good time. 

Niles turned to Daphne, finding her with that same faraway look she had when he arrived. Did it have something to do with Rodney? Probably, but he knew Joe was the real reason behind the sadness in her eyes. 

"Did you love him," he asked point blank. Her answer would hurt him, that was a given, but at the moment Daphne's feelings were more important. 

"What?" she suddenly turned. 

"Joe," he clarified. "Did you love him?" 

She thought for a moment. His question had completely caught her off-guard because she'd never been asked about her feelings for Joe. 

Did she love him?

What worried her the most was that the answer wasn't clear. Even to her. "I think I did," she answered.

"But if I'm being completely honest with myself, I knew that relationship was headed nowhere. Like I told you all the other night, we've been on and off for some time now and if we'd truly loved each other, we wouldn't have been playing those kinds of stupid games." She sighed ruefully. "I saw it coming. The break-up, I mean. Yet, I kept hoping things would get better but they never did. And now here I am, heartbroken and alone. No Joe. No Rodney." 

Niles fought that little voice inside that urged him to reveal his feelings for her. To let her know that she wasn't alone. That he was there for her in any way she needed him...for the rest of their lives. 

But this was neither the right time or place. 

He downed the rest of his wine before asking the question to which he already knew the answer to.

"Did you see a future with...him?" 

"I think I saw the same future with him that I have seen with every guy I've dated. We would meet, marry, have children, a house of our own. Nothing special." She took a sip of wine. "But I still haven't meet the man that makes me feel...like I couldn't live without him. The man who loves me with every fiber of his being. The guy who- my one true love." 

Once again, Niles bit his lower lip, trying to keep himself from telling her that they could have all that together because he was the man who loved her the way she desired. Who wanted everything she wanted and more. 

Instead, he placed a reassuring hand over hers. "Don't worry, Daphne. Someday you'll have everything you've ever wanted. I promise." 

She smiled, overwhelmed by his kindness and his promise of a dream she wasn't so sure would ever come true. He really WAS too good for that Adelle. If they weren't just friends and if he wasn't a separated man maybe she...but no. It could never happen.

"Thank you, Dr. Crane." She stroked his fingers with her thumb, relishing in the warmth their joined hands created. 

Or was it fireworks? Whatever it was, it scared Daphne. 

She suddenly pulled her hand away and gulped down the rest of her wine. "It's getting late. I should get going." Daphne was about to reach for her purse when she felt Niles' hand on her shoulder. 

"I'll take care of this." 

"All right," she responded. 

Daphne closed her eyes and took a deep breath as they stepped out into the street of that clear Seattle night. The cool autumn breeze caressed her rosy cheeks and played with her silky hair. In Niles' eyes, she looked almost angelic and he couldn't stop staring. 

Fortunately, she didn't catch him in the act. 

"I'll walk you home," he said. 

She nodded, reluctant about the idea of calling it a night when it was still fairly early. Going home would only remind her of the heartache of the past week and at the moment she found herself enjoying the time she and Niles were spending together. 

Then inspiration struck. 

"You know what, Dr. Crane?" 

"What?" 

Daphne linked her arm with his. "Why don't we go for a walk in the park?" 

He said he would do anything to make her happy, but the park? At this hour? "Oh, um, isn't it a bit late to be hanging around such a...dangerous place?" 

She giggled. "Oh, come on, Dr. Crane. It's only," she looked down at his watch, "after 8! We won't be the only ones there. Trust me." 

Now who was the reluctant one? 

_**OooooO OooooO**_

Daphne lied. That beautiful woman lied. 

Niles looked around the park she practically dragged him to, discovering that there was absolutely no one in sight. 

That can't be good. 

She led him to a secluded area where traffic was barely audible and pedestrians were nowhere to be seen. Privacy at its best. 

Why were they here, he wondered. 

"Come here, Ni- ." She was about to sit on the grass overlooking the community flower garden, when Niles stopped her. 

"Here." He laid his suit jacket down on the ground. 

"But your jacket-"

"Daphne, I'm not going to have you ruin your skirt by sitting on this filthy grass. My jacket be damned." 

"Fine. Now, sit next to me." And he did. She moaned gently as she massaged her temples. "I've got a headache." 

"My fault," he asked. 

She giggled. "Of course not. I'd already had two glasses of wine before you arrived." 

"Ah." 

They sat in silence for a few minutes, looking up at the moon and the stars. They couldn't see many but at least it kept them busy for a while. 

"Why did we come here?" he finally asked. 

She shot him a wicked look and stood, extending her hand to help him up. "The solitude. Privacy." She started walking towards a nearby fountain, a sly smile on her face, feeling mischievous for the vague answer she gave him. 

Daphne stopped in front of the fountain, looking down at the coins people had tossed in. She remembered the wish she made with Joe on their first date almost a year ago. _Has it been that long?_

"Thinking of making a wish?" he asked as he walked up behind her.

"They never come true so I don't really believe in wishes." She sounded disillusioned. "When I was little, Grammy Moon used to tell us kids that every person was born with a path they must follow. Wishing things were different was like trying to alter your destiny." She paused and turned to him with a warm smile. "Besides, I think it's corny and a bloody waste of a perfectly good coin." 

"I couldn't agree more." He started laughing but Daphne wasn't. Like she had done many times in his dreams, Daphne stepped in front of him, placing one hand on his cheek and the other on his shoulder, bringing him closer to her. 

Oh boy! 

"Daphne, what are you-" 

"Shh..." She didn't know if she was doing this because she was drunk and vulnerable or because there was something more. The one thing she was sure of was how comfortable, right, it felt to be in his arms. 

Daphne brushed her lips against his, barely kissing him, holding her breath in anticipation for his reaction. 

It could go both ways. 

He fervently kissed her back, picking up the faint sweetness of the wine they drank earlier, in her mouth.

Daphne grinned against his lips as they came up for air, but then it hit her.  
>"Oh, my God!" She quickly pulled away, flustered. "Dr. Crane, I..I'm so sorry. I'm...I'm drunk and I should've known better." <p>

"No, no Daphne. It was my fault," he quickly responded. "We're both vulnerable and have had quite a bit to drink tonight." 

She blushed avoiding his eyes. "I think we should just go home and-" 

"Forget about it," he finished. 

"Right," she said. 

"Right." Of course, there wasn't a chance in hell he would ever forget this moment. Not when Daphne kissed him first.

Daphne stepped into her room shortly after Niles had dropped her off with a friendly smile and an awkward handshake. She was hung-over but more than anything, she was elated about what had happened at the park. She didn't regret a moment of it despite her reaction. It wasn't the alcohol or vulnerability that pushed her to do it like she claimed. She simply couldn't resist kissing the man. At that moment she realized there was something between them. Something more than just friendship but for now, the timing just wasn't right. They both needed time to heal. He was separated from his wife and she had just been dumped. Twice. In one week. 

"Perhaps not now, but maybe someday."


End file.
